The voices shout from the third most sacred Masjid. Around 300 Masjidul Aqsa safe keepers are standing firm against another Israeli settler incursion at the Masjid. For three days, since Friday April 11, the Jerusalemites have slept, sat and guarded the Masjid, defending almost two billion Muslim’s first direction of Qiblah.

The stand in came after Al-Aqsa Mosque official Sheikh Najih Ibkeirat, Mufti of Al-Quds Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage and other groups warned of various Jewish settler groups’ intentions to storm the Al-Aqsa Masjid compound during the Jewish Passover holiday. Passover kicks in at sunset April 14 and lasts until April 22.

Preparations were planned to take place on the evening of April 10 at the site west of Jerusalem, where Jewish groups were to suggest how to offer sacrifices in Al-Aqsa Masjid in the hope of implementing these sacrifices in reality on Passover.

Palestinian influx to al Quds on Sunday came after calls were made by Mufti Hussein for Palestinians to camp in the Masjid complex in protest against these and other recent violations by Jewish settler groups. Ibkeirat called on Palestinians to “stand by Al-Aqsa mosque in the most difficult phase of its history.” He also urged Palestinians to demonstrate a sit-in throughout April at the Masjid’s complex.

Staging their sit-in inside Al-Aqsa mosque, Palestinians were attacked by Israeli police who fired teargas and rubber-coated steel bullets at Muslim worshippers, injuring several of them.

The Foundation has also called on Muslims to visit Masjidul Aqsa frequently and warned of the repercussions of Jewish settler intrusions into the Masjid. The latest Jewish calls to storm Al-Aqsa and make sacrifices inside it and also the plans to build a synagogue in the mosque’s grounds constituted “serious indications that the occupation is stepping up its violations of Al-Aqsa,” said the Foundation.

Palestinian tour guide with a master’s in archaeology from Al Quds University in Jerusalem, Abeer Zayyad spoke to Cii Radio from the al Aqsa compound where she has been for the past three days.

“Our standing is the power that is refusing them to enter the Masjid. This is the only thing [we can do] to protect the Masjid. And you can hear the voices of the people around me,” said Zayyad amid the chants, “They are saying that they are willing to give their life for al Aqsa Masjid. You can hear the voices. People are standing and refusing this attack on the Masjid. We are refusing settlers and we are refusing soldiers together. It’s the people who can make the difference.”

Zayyad spoke of a Jewish settler being removed from the Masjid after entering the Masjid “dress[ed] like an Arab guy”.

The Masjid, held sacred by Muslims the world over, has seen regular assaults on it sanctity in recent months. According to al Aqsa officials, the violations against the Masjid occur on almost a daily basis, with a greater strategy of normalising Jewish entry into the al Aqsa compound in a bid to eventually take over the site.

Hundreds of settlers, often accompanied by fanatical rabbis and escorted by Israeli soldiers have toured its compounds, chanting and attempting to perform special prayers. There have also been attempts to divide the site and allot special prayer times at the Masjid for Jews.

Zayyad says they are expecting more problems. Settlers have been placed at the compound gates – focal entry being from the Moroccon gate under the protection of Israeli soldiers. Muslims have been told to “to clear the Masjid today to allow them to enter the temple and it’s not allowed for us to be here anymore”. Notifications have also been placed at all points of entry.

“Of course this is something that will never happen. We will never lose the faith. It’s our Masjid and we will never leave it. But this is what they put out and this is what they are planning to do. We will never accept something like this,” said Zayyad.

Plans to build a Jewish synagogue near the Al-Aqsa complex was also recently approved by Israeli authorities said the Al-Aqsa Foundation.

The planned synagogue will reportedly be built 200 meters west of the Al-Aqsa compound and will consist of a four-story building, topped by a vaulted dome, with an underground space beneath it.

According to the Foundation roughly 100 synagogues in and around the Old City of Al-Quds have been built.

“Jewish extremists use the synagogues as launch pads from which to stage intrusions into the Al-Aqsa complex,” the foundation told Turkishpress.

“We just ask people to remember al Aqsa masjid, we ask people, Muslim people all over the world to go out and say that they are standing with us and are refusing the demolition of al Aqsa masjid and building their temple. This is what we are asking from all Muslim all over the world, stand with us and remember al Aqsa Masjid,” said Zayyad.

According to Islamic Fiqh (law), when a Masjid is built, its land, the structure, every floor and piece of the complex, right through until the Throne of Allah SWT belongs only to Allah SWT. It cannot belong to any person, family or organisation. People may manage and oversee it but the ownership belongs to Allah SWT.

Israeli police raid the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem

Israeli soldiers and police have hurled stun grenades at Palestinian worshippers after entering the holy Haram al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem.

Violence erupted on Sunday morning after Israeli police opened one of the walled compound’s gates to non-Muslim visitors after dawn prayers.

The Palestinians had remained in the courtyard of the al-Aqsa mosque in anticipation of an incursion by groups of Jewish extremists.

The Haram al-Sharif, which includes the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, is Islam’s third holiest site and is known to Jews as the Temple Mount. Although non-Muslim visitors are permitted, Jews are not allowed to pray at the site, even under Israeli law.

Sovereignty push

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the Palestinians threw stones and a number of Molotov cocktails at police who had entered the site.

“Police responded by using stun grenades and entered the Temple Mount area,” he said.

There were no reports of injuries or arrests.

Protests erupted at the site last month after a right-wing Israeli politician, Moshe Feiglin, called on the Israeli Knesset to strengthen Israel’s control over the site and usurp sovereignty.

Rosenfeld could not say if Jews were among those seeking to visit the site.